Hi Everyone, I just joined the community and am a complete newbie, I have some questions if that is okay?
We’ve used THS a few times now and we have met some absolutely lovely people, we love THS!
We are looking for a sitter 24th-27th March and for the first time I am struggling to find a suitable sitter 3 weeks out. I have read on the forum of people being able to view potential sitters who have ‘saved’ a profile - Can I see who has favoured our profile so I can actively approach the sitters with an invitation?
Also, when I go to search for a sitter and put my dates in all the sitters I have invited are not available? Surely by putting my dates in I should only be shown those sitters who have availability on the same dates as mine? Am I missing something here?
I have noticed that some of the dates are in white and some of the dates are marked in green? Are the green marked dates actively being sought after by sitters and if so how can I filter to only show sitters who are actively seeking a sit on the dates I am away?
Sorry for all the questions and thank you in advance for your guidance.
Hello @Sunflower welcome to our fab community.
As a sitter, I can say that when you look at the calendar if the dates are crossed out, that means they are booked with a THS sit. Green dates means they are available and looking. White means not booked with THS but not available. This of course only applies if people are actually indicating their availability.
The calendar is something that many have found challenging to use properly.
When you do your search for a sitter, enter your location and then on the right top select your dates by clicking the start date first then the end date. It should highlight the period then hit apply.
Hope that helps part of your questions.
Hi @Sunflower Welcome to the forum. Please keep in mind that THS is a worldwide organization. I’ve search ‘Chilterns’ on the website and don’t see a sit. You have provided your dates here, but also post your location - city and country. You may want to edit your heading to shown that information too.
If you have a standard or premium membership, you can boost your listing once. If you’d like to do that, follow these instructions.
Owners who have standard or premium memberships are also able to see which sitters have marked their listing as a favourite.
If you’d like feedback from forum members on your listing, you can add your listing to your forum username. Members can often give suggestions to improve your listing.
Francine,
Voluntary Forum Moderator
Hi @Sunflower … thank you @snowbird and @Amparo for good advice.
I have emailed you from membership services as I have also boosted your listing.
Kind regards Therese
Hi @Sunflower - If you are inviting sitters you may have a better chance of securing a sitter by searching and inviting local sitters rather than those that have saved your listing.
Sitters save listings generally as a sit they would love to do - unless they happened to live locally, a 3 day sit is unlikely to tempt them because of the travel costs involved.
However, local sitters may not be actively looking but receiving your invite may be enough to tempt them to come spend a few days in the company of your pets
HI Colin
Thanks for this great advice, much appreciated.
Hi Amparo, Thanks so much for yur advice. Re the calendar, I added the dates as you mention but on hitting apply the sitters that come up often have white dates and not green dates. If the green dates are the dates that sitters have listed their availability then why are sitters listed with dates in white?
Is there a way to filter so I only see sitters with available dates listed in green?
Thanks
Pippa
Hi @Sunflower You’ve asked about the calendar. If you search that word using the spyglass, you’ll see it has been a topic of discussion for some time. You may find that many sitters choose not to use the calendar, as it’s difficult to keep it current.
I would suggest you only take note of those entries where there is a black line across the white date. This shows a confirmed sit on THS. Other than that, you may be best to disregard the calendar altogether. I think @Colin’s suggestion, of searching for local sitters, is more likely to be successful.
Hi Pippa, you are most welcome. Do your best as @Snowbird describes
and be patient.
Best wishes.
Thanks for your advice everyone 
Hi
I live in Milton Keynes and am happy to fo short sits, but unfortunately am not available for those dates.
I will save your listing as a favourite so hopefully in the future i may be able to help out
Jo
I’ve got your sit favourited for future reference. Love chocolate labs! 
Thanks a lot, looking forward to meeting one day in the future.
Thanks a lot Jo, Hopefully we will het to meet in the future.